Angola High School - Key Yearbook (Angola, IN)

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e 3 3 Another excellent reason for attending college is the independence a young person receives by being thrown upon his own resources. When he is among his friends he will depend upon them for many things; but if he goes where he knows no one he has to depend upon himself and it is the best thing that can possibly happen to him. A college education, you may contend, is so expensive that many cannot afford it. It is expensive but many young people earn either a part or the whole of the funds themselves, so it is not out of reach. However, it is not best for one to attempt to earn all his expenses while he is in school for in so doing he must necessarily neglect his studies and the social advantages, and are not these the things he is paying hard earned money to obtain? Nevertheless, no one must get the idea that he should not put much time on study. Study is what one goes to college for but the social side is important. No one can be educated by merely loafing arojind a school. It requires a great deal of earnest, diligent work to obtain an education. Neither is education something that can be inherited; it must be obtained by each person for himself. One may inherit the ability and desire for it but the education itself cannot be handed down. Tonight we are completing the first part of our apprenticeship of life. It is to be hoped that many of us will go on through some institution of higher learning to complete this apprenticeship, and thus prepare more fully for citizenship and service.

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SALUTATORY The Apprenticeship of Life” On behalf of the class of 1923 1 wish to welcome you, parents, teachers and friends, to this occasion which crowns our twelve years of effort in the Angola Public Schools. Xo one can better appreciate the efforts and sacrifices which have made it possible for 11s to be here tonight than this group of people. It is with a deep sense of gratitude that the members of the class of ’23 accept those efforts which have brought them through the first step in what might be termed their apprenticeship of life. Apprenticeship has been defined as the state in which a person is gaining instruction under a master. Years age more than at the present time is was customary for a person desiring to learn a trade to apprentice himself to one of that occupation and, by working for him, learn the profession. What could apply better to an education. Is not education the apprenticeship in which one prepares himself for the business of life? The true order of learniiijg should be first what is necessary; second, what is useful ; and third, what is ornamental. Not so many years ago college or even high school education was not thought so necessary, but that is no longer the case. The times have changed and the world has no time to wait for the self-made man. The first question asked to-day, in seeking a professional position is, “Have you a college degree?” I even heard of a young man applying for a position recently who was asked first, Did you take an active part in athletics?” The man asking the question knew that if the young man had taken part in college athletics he was a good student for in colleges and universities, more than in high schools, creditable grades are necessary for membership on athletic teams. It has been truthfully said that education is the defense of nations. The ideas of anarchy and revolution are best instilled in ignorant minds. People without education often have no respect for law and order, except, perhaps, through fear. They are incapable of governing themselves for their minds are not trained for activity and leadership. The prime necessity of higher education is preparation for life; the second, and of course important, is the qualification for earning a living. For most professions a college training is a positive essential, but even if one were to do the most menial task an education would make him much more proficient and would enable him to lead a much happier life, for the wider his knowledge the greater his appreciation of the better things of life. The text-book information is not nearly so important as the training of the mind received from the study. It will be only a comparatively short time until much of the information received will have been forgotten. How much will a person remember of higher mathematics, who has not looked in a text-book for ten years? But, on the other hand, will not the training in initiative and leadership remain always? When one attends an institution of higher learning he is made to realize his relation to the world and through ideas and Straining is better equipped for citizenship. He is fitted for leadership and so can better serve his country. In college one gets a certain culture from the constant association with people who care for the higher things of life, that is more difficult to acquire elsewhere.

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 4 VALEDICTORY “Our Aims” Every young person should and must have some definite and noble aims and ideals in order for him to fill a really worthwhile place in the world and to leave behind him the memory of a life which had some influence on the progress of humanity. How many times you have seen people struggling aimlessly through life with no hopes of attaining any goal and with no ideals to inspire them to do better things each day, simply because they have never placed any for themselves. There is no better time for establishing our ideals and determining our goals for life than during our youth since then our habits are formed and the molds of our lives are begun. Then, if ever, our opportunities are more golden and the possibilities for life more numerous. Our goals should be high, very high. so that our best abilities will be developed in attempting to reach them. Rut when we once reach our aims, we should not stop, content with our attainment but place them higher. It is only by thinking about great and beautiful things that we have a desire for them and only by desiring them do we seek and eventually achieve them. A healthy body and a clean mind should probably be our first aim. Almost any other goal which we may set for ourselves will be unattainable in its fullest sense unless we strive to keep our bodies in as nearly a perfect condition as possible and our minds free from harmful and destructive thoughts and impressions. Education also plays an important part among the goals of life. We must seek to gain as thorough an education for ourselves as is reasonably possible so that we may be well prepared not merely to be successful in our profession or occupation for a few short years, but to be the best possible citizens and to contribute something imperishable to the betterment of mankind. Our aims should be: First, to gain a rich supply of knowledge re- garding the things that have happened and are going on about us every day so that we may really be at borne in the world. Second, we must endeavor to reach as great a height as possible in our particular vocation. Last, and most important, we must keep our minds open and alert for knowledge from every source. The practice of keeping our minds closed and prejudiced against everything new. is one of the most serious misfortunes that can befall us. The world would indeed be a very miserable and tiresome place in which to live if each one of us did not receive some new thoughts from others each day or originate something new ourselves. But the minds which are capable of producing ideas of a type which will contribute to the advancement of the world are wide-awake, keen, and observing, eagerly drinking in every atom of knowledge for future use. In every one of us should be the desire to be thought well of by all with whom we come in contact. Few people realize that the sincere commendation or the unfavorable criticism of their employers or teachers may either open or close for them, the doors to greater opportunities. What more important thing, then, can we begin during our days of youth and education than the foundation of an enviable reputation? Another goal which we should place for ourselves is self-confidence. For who can accomplish great deeds or reach difficult goals unless he first not only thinks but is determined that he is able to do well, the task which he has set for himself? If we but recognize the opportunity and realize our